How far is too far for driving tractor on the road?

[OzarkChris]

I have some hunting property here in central NC I really want to build up/fix up a few food plots. A few years ago had a forestry mulcher dude come in and make me a 1 acre plot 2 - 1/4 acre each food plots and shooting lanes in the pin planted cutover. It has proven to work pretty well for deer hunting so far.

So far I have been taking my John Deere 1445 front mower up there on a trailer mowing it a few times a year. It has been cleared off a few years now. I am thinking that in 2025 I can take my Kioti dk45se on there with a disc and run through the mowed areas a few times. Then sow some food plot seeds on it to attract turkey and deer. Then use the mower for maint going forward. I said a few times a year, I have missed the window for this year to plant clover. So I thought I would start out with some beans in spring of some sort, then in the fall disc it back up and plant a clover ish blend.

This fall I broadcasted some oats and wheat in it after mowing. Did "ok" but not great. Hard to tell exactly as after it was mowed lots of grass seeds fell to the earth too. This is my second year doing this and the deer love to come around so the idea is working, just want to make it even more productive. My goal it to plant perennial seeds of some sort long term.

So my question is, the trip is about 43 miles one way from home and I am thinking maybe doing this twice a year for 2025. I figure I should be able to make it up there in about 3-4 ish hours. Even if I had to leave it over night and drove it back the next day is ok. This is a 2012 model with about 500 hrs and I want it to last me the rest of my life if possible.

I usually only run it up to about 2500 rpm doing anything and plan to stay at that rpm/speed for the duration of the trip. Tires are R4's with plenty of life on em.

To rent a truck and trailer to haul it will cost for a single day approx $4-500. I don't have anything tough enough to haul that kinda load.

Planning to retire next year so how long it takes isn't a problem for me.

Suggestions?

I've done 15-20ish miles, but my tractor does ~25mph and that wasn't very fun for this old back. Also, what type of fuel consumption would you be looking at? Can you even go that far on a tank of fuel? My TYM 1003 runs ~10-12 gph at top speed (~8 gph @ 60%). I'm not familiar with the DK45 fuel usage,or tank size. I did see that your tractor can do ~15 mph max. Plan on 10-12, or less, unless it is totally flat between properties. I don't have any issue mechanically with making the trip, I might however, have an issue with cost. Big "road"/row cropper tractors have all that hwy use budgeted in by the farms. Small tractor users generally don't.

That being said, how much is red fuel around you? For me to make that trip it would be 20-25 gal at ~$3.50/gal each way. How much is hydraulic fluid? 2-3 times per year adds hours and hours mean more frequent oil changes. Synthetic fluid here is running ~$900-1,200 for 53 gal drum (~$18-22/gal) depending on the brand. My TYM holds ~20 gals or ~$4-500 per change with filters.

And as mentioned earlier, what about the safety factor? All these things, for me anyway, would be a big NO WAY in this world would I do that - but I have a trailer and a way to haul my tractors. Your mileage (GPH ) may vary though!

 

[screamin400]

I run a snow route that is 26 miles long and sometimes run it 3 times in a day...

 

[LouNY]

I've done 15-20ish miles, but my tractor does ~25mph and that wasn't very fun for this old back. Also, what type of fuel consumption would you be looking at? Can you even go that far on a tank of fuel? My TYM 1003 runs ~10-12 gph at top speed (~8 gph @ 60%). I'm not familiar with the DK45 fuel usage,or tank size. I did see that your tractor can do ~15 mph max. Plan on 10-12, or less, unless it is totally flat between properties. I don't have any issue mechanically with making the trip, I might however, have an issue with cost. Big "road"/row cropper tractors have all that hwy use budgeted in by the farms. Small tractor users generally don't.

That being said, how much is red fuel around you? For me to make that trip it would be 20-25 gal at ~$3.50/gal each way. How much is hydraulic fluid? 2-3 times per year adds hours and hours mean more frequent oil changes. Synthetic fluid here is running ~$900-1,200 for 53 gal drum (~$18-22/gal) depending on the brand. My TYM holds ~20 gals or ~$4-500 per change with filters.

And as mentioned earlier, what about the safety factor? All these things, for me anyway, would be a big NO WAY in this world would I do that - but I have a trailer and a way to haul my tractors. Your mileage (GPH ) may vary though!

If your under a 100 hp tractor is using 10-12 gallons per hour of fuel it needs to be checked out for some serious problems. If your burning even 4 gallons per hour at full load thats high.
In the Nebraska test an IH 1066 at max power (125 Hp) and full rated rpm was 8.4 gph'
slowed down to pto speed and 119 Hp it was down to 7.3 gph.

 

[Morning Wood]

If you have this need you should own a truck and trailer capable of moving your tractor. Driving the tractor that kind of distance seems insane. I would only do that if I was doing snow removal along the way. Like the tractor was actually being used over those miles.

 

[OzarkChris]

If your under a 100 hp tractor is using 10-12 gallons per hour of fuel it needs to be checked out for some serious problems. If your burning even 4 gallons per hour at full load thats high.
In the Nebraska test an IH 1066 at max power (125 Hp) and full rated rpm was 8.4 gph'
slowed down to pto speed and 119 Hp it was down to 7.3 gph.

The 1003 is 100hp, the 8gph @ 60% (pto) is from the specs. The 10-12 was calculated at 40% more, maybe it isn't linear. I don't keep track of the gph, I just keep track of the $$$.

 

[scott_vt]

Good Evening,
I wouldn’t think of doing much more than 5 miles or so !

That being said, the guys that gave the best advice to the OP, are the guys that suggested renting a trailer ! For a few bucks you can do it safely and that takes a lot of the stress out of the equation IMO !

 

[DarkBlack]

If your under a 100 hp tractor is using 10-12 gallons per hour of fuel it needs to be checked out for some serious problems. If your burning even 4 gallons per hour at full load thats high.
In the Nebraska test an IH 1066 at max power (125 Hp) and full rated rpm was 8.4 gph'
slowed down to pto speed and 119 Hp it was down to 7.3 gph.

That makes no sense from your own statistics. I’m guessing you said it mistakenly

 

[OzarkChris]

That makes no sense from your own statistics. I’m guessing you said it mistakenly

I don't think he realized that my tym 1003 is 100hp. He may have thought TYM models are simular to JDs numbering schemes - maybe he thought it was a 30hp. As I responded to him, specs show the 1003 runs 8gph @ 60% pto. If the specs are correct, which I have no reason to believe they aren't, 10-12gph would not seem unrealistic at full power.

No big deal, we all have opinions.

 

[LouNY]

The 1003 is 100hp, the 8gph @ 60% (pto) is from the specs. The 10-12 was calculated at 40% more, maybe it isn't linear. I don't keep track of the gph, I just keep track of the $$$.

She is a thirsty thing then, so your 33 gallon tank is only good for 3 hours of work?
And at 60% power on a 100 hp tractor if you are using more then 4 gph that is quite thirsty.
Now if that was 8 liters or 2 gph on a common rail injected engine it's good.

Heck my NH 8160 with it's 456 cubic inch mechanical injection 6 cylinder isn't that thirsty;
under 6 gph at 88 horse on the pto. Which is well over 100 hp on the engine.

And you are correct we all have our opinions.

 

[LouNY]

That makes no sense from your own statistics. I’m guessing you said it mistakenly

No I wasn't mistaken the IH 1066 was a thirsty tractor but at 119 pto hp it was using 7.3 gph,
so if an 100 engine hp or 88 pto hp tractor is using 10-12 gph it is high.

My 88 hp pto tractor is well under 6 gph. And she is mechanical injected while I would expect that the TYM is common rail which usually gets better fuel economy.